Salmonella outbreak – mystery solved?

There’s a break in the salmonella investigation – the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says a jalapeno pepper grown in Mexico and processed in Texas has tested positive for the strain of salmonella that has made more than 1,200 people sick over the past few months. But the FDA stresses the case is not closed yet.

While finding the genetic match is important, authorities still don’t know where the pepper became tainted – did it happen on the farm in Mexico… in the plant in McAllen, Texas… or somewhere in between?

Just a few days ago, the FDA lifted its warning on tomatoes, saying it’s okay to eat them again. But investigators say tomatoes still may have caused some of the illnesses.

Because of this latest finding, the FDA says we should avoid eating fresh jalapeño and serrano peppers and foods made with fresh jalapeños. It’s okay to eat pickled and preserved jalapeños.

The outbreak isn’t over yet, but at least it seems to be slowing down – the CDC has confirmed just 14 cases since July 4.

What do you think of all this? Has it changed how you eat?

Related posts

• FDA lifts warning on tomatoes
• FDA extends salmonella warning to include serrano peppers
• Salmonella outbreak – is it the peppers?
• Looks like the salmonella outbreak is over
• Hold the tomatoes